Customer Reviews

Boop-Boop-A-Doop

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Helen Kane was an extremely talented singer from the 20's who is best known for inspiring the creation of "Betty Boop" and for her rendition of "I Wanna Be Loved By You", which opens this collection. Upon further listening, you'll latch on to many of Miss Kane's nuances that made her truly stand apart from all the other singers of the day. Her phrasing is impeccable and her comic timing is precise. Add some great backing musicians and you have a thoroughly enjoyable collection.

To the best of my knowledge this is the only CD that contains her recordings from the 50's as well. Although they are much more produced than the 20's recordings (technology had come a long way), they still capture that fun/silly atmosphere and deliver.

Give it a listen -- Cyndi Lauper did (Cyndi covered "He's So Unusual" on her 1984 debut LP, and mimicked Helen Kane throughout that LP's closing track "Yeah Yeah") -- and look where it got Cyndi!!

Highly recommeded.

This is a treasured CD, and one long overdue. None of the fake stereo that the previous release suffered. No songs left out, like the LPs. This is the definitive collection in glorious mono! Historically, Ms. Kane's very musical, lyrical phrasing is often overshadowed by the novelty of her records. One listen will dispell the notion of her being a lightweight. Still, the "bonus tracks" of later material don't shine as well as her earlier recordings, but it's obvious that these were some producer's idea of what she should do, and not as musical as her true talent. Buy this CD now before it goes out of print. The next release may not be as good.

Each one of these recordings is a gem, a period piece. Sure it's possible that listing to the entire CD in one sitting is too much, but Helen never dreamed of anyone doing this with original 78s. Take one at a time shuffled with other period recordings and this is an excellent CD. It is interessting that only studio bands accompanied her, while Annette Hanshaw had some of the finest jazz musicians behind her. I could do without Kane's later 50s stuff, but in all, it's a great CD for boop-a-doop fans, for those interested in popular music of the era, and those who just like Helen Kane.

Helen Kane was an actress and singer of the late 1920's and 1930's and the inspiration for the famous Betty Boop cartoons of that period. This collection is a great record of her unique comic style. Lots of the songs in this collection also appeared in the animated cartoons, and it's great to hear them sung in full on this CD. I had only ever heard the Marilyn Monroe version of "I Wanna Be Loved By You" before getting this album - who knew it had so many extra verses?? Same goes for "He's So Unusual", which I always assumed was an original Cyndi Lauper pastiche, but I know better now - it's actually a cover version, and the full song is included here, in full-on "boop" style. Actually, Helen Kane's trademark "Boop Oop A Doop" phrase appears in so many of the tracks that you'd be advised not to play the whole lot in one sitting as it could rapidly wear out its welcome!

This isn't really a criticism, though. Lot's of the songs are hilarious, and Helen's voice is a treat to hear on every one. Some of the sentiments portrayed in the lyrics are also very sweet, which is something of a long-lost art, nowadays. Of course her style has been much imitated since, and the informative sleeve notes provide lots of interesting details about how her career progressed after the Betty Boop cartoon character was created, with all the Boopish vocals recorded by sound-a-like Mae Questel (Kane sued - and you can read the rest of the story in the notes!).

The remastering is great and unobtrusive, by which I mean that the songs still have the unmistakeable squeakiness of antique recordings, but I wouldn't have it any other way, it's a vital part of the charm of this type of music. This CD doesn't cost much, and provides a lot of fun. I would pick one up while it's still around.

Helen Kane's sensually high pitched and extremely effeminate singing is a great form of pop song art. It may not be appealing to the postmodern taste in music but can be highly addictive if one finds a way to appreciate it.

Kane's voice is not screeching in high notes. It has a child-like quality for humorous effect; but the smooth yet controlled flow, the impeccable phrasing contradict that quality and deny any stylistic immaturity.

The song selection is excellent and Kane's treatment renders the lyrics beyond hilarity. According to legend, Kane rejected "I wanna be loved by you" initially, and only agreed to sing it with the interpolation of her trademark "boop-boop-a-doop".

Track No. 23 to 27 are her later recordings (ca. 50). They might not stand up to her early success but make this album more interesting.

There are no complaints to the re-mastering. The sound is crisp and the noises are not sharp. None of that echo for mock-stereo effect.

Helen Kane caused quite the sensation in the late 20's and early 30's with her remarkably unique style, and listening to this beautifully compiled collection, it's easy to see why. Her charm is saturating and her talent is exquisitely evident. Her voice, accentuated with a thick bronx accent and replete with her distinctively squeaky tone, form the words of her lyrics with grace and control. Her range proves to be amazingly versatile, as evidenced in the innocent yet provocatively suggestive "I Want To Be Bad", the romantically delightful "That's Why I'm Happy", and most impressively showcased in the lighthearted "I'd Do Anything For You."
Every song in this collection is a gem, each one offering something clever and new. Helen takes the lyrics and makes them purely her own, providing her unique twist on each verse while taking each song to a new plateu. Thus, no track is unintersting. On the contrary, the listener will find themselves anxious for the next track to begin just to hear what she'll do next.
It was said in one review or another that Helen used her signature "boop boop a doop" ad nauseum. While she does indeed import the classic phrase many times throughout the cd, it's usage is usually subtle and not used in every song. The instances where she includes the legendary words fit quite well in the flow of the tune. At times it's done quickly, like a quaint little poke to remind you who you're listening to, and has passed before you realize what hit you. In other cases, she changes up the words, extends them, creatively re-arranges them to form a completely new word and sound that dances, blends, and becomes one with the rythm.
All in all, a wonderful collection of a beautiful, talented woman from a bygone, golden era of hope and reckless abandon. I highly recommend it to anyone in love with the era and it's timeless, wonderful music.

This whole Helen Kane thing started when I was at a Flea-Market
and I found a 7 33 r.p.m lp box set called "These Were our Songs The Late 30's" It it had a 1936 song on it called "There's A Small Hotel" by Paul Whiteman Vocals sung by Durelle Alexander.
(Paul Whiteman did not sing it, Durelle Alexander did)
Durelle Alexander sounds just like Helen Kane (a.k.a Betty Boop) So I got on my computor and searched many diffrent websites looking for a Durelle Alexander cd, cassete tape, and even records! Unforetonantly, I found none. But I knew she sang just like Betty Boop did in the cartoons I wathced, so I got on my computor, and typed in Betty Boop, And found Helen Kane tried to soo Max Fleicher (creator of Betty Boop Cartoons)for stealing her voice for Betty Boop. So I got on amazon and found this.
SHE SOUNDS JUST LIKE DURELLE ALEXANDER!!! I LOVE THIS CD!!!!!!!!!

Too long overshadowed by Betty Boop, the character allegedly ripped-off from her persona, Helen Kane's personality, humor, and overall talent shine in this comprehensive collection of her songs.

Helen Kane wasn't just a songstress; she was a comedienne. Like Sophie Tucker and Mae West, she made light of sex and sex appeal. But if Tucker and West were parodying the all-knowing and mature woman of the world, Kane's target was alleged innocent who feigns naivete but knows quite a bit more than she lets on. There's more eroticism and sexuality in one string of Kane's "boop-boop-a-doops" than in all the jigglings, gyrations, and "wardrobe malfunctions" that constitute many a singer's modus operandi today.

All of Kane's standards are here, including jovially randy gems such as "That's My Weakness Now," and "I Wanna Be Bad." The five tunes from her comeback attempt in the '50s lack the old zest, but they're still fascinating. The mind nearly boggles that Helen is taking Mel Blanc's role in "I Taut I Taw a Puddy Tat," years after the Fleischer's finagled their way out of paying Helen any royalties over Betty Boop. Overall, the newer beat doesn't jibe well with Helen's sound, but her work is still interesting, and she acquits herself nicely with her reprise of "I Wanna Be Loved By You."

The overall quality of the package, from sound to liner notes, is excellent. Helen Kane may not have won a victory over Betty Boop and her creators, but in the long run, she has prevailed.

Certainly there is a fine vocalist in here, a woman with taste and some sterling musicians, but these recordings can quickly wear out their welcome. In ones or twos they'd be a fun diversion. With 27 consecutive tracks, her squeaky voice and affected diction wear one out. Or at least this one.

Like all singers who became famous for their catchphrase, Helen browbeats the listener with a Boop-boop-a-doop over and over, until I, at least, started to cringe. And like many others who had a brief flash of fame, she tried too hard for too long, and then attempted a misguided comeback that has all the charm of an wizened old gal with long blond hair and a miniskirt. Though I'm glad I got to hear what she sounded like when she tried that return, I now cut the CD off before those tracks arrive.

Yet there is genuine charm here as well. Helen could sing, and on a few, she nails them dead-on. The coy, the wry, the slightly wicked is all here, and all well done. But this is too much cuteness. Like a Shirley Temple film festival, one gets weary of marshmallows and wants something with a bit more heft.

Helen Kane's story has already been well-chronicled, so there's no need for me to try to retell it.

From what I have been able to research so far, this CD by Living Era seems to cover most, if not all, of her best recordings. The sound is very clean, but not so filtered and enhanced that the music is no longer recognizable.

The tracks from the 1928-1930 era are the ones that I find to be the most enjoyable. They capture that carefree, optimistic outlook on living that the Roaring Twenties embodied--and an innocence that is spiced with hints of innuendo, here and there. This was the style meant for Helen, and that for which she will always be remembered. Her songs from the Fifties, don't seem to weather the test of time as gracefully as the early ones do, but I believe it was their style that was the compromise rather than her ability to perform. Clearly, the quality of her vocalization had not declined during those twenty years, or so, that passed.

It's a pity that Paramount Studios saw fit to give up on Helen Kane's movie career in favor of a cartoon character that is today more well-known than Kane, who inspired it. It's also unfortunate that an American record company could not produce a well-deserved tribute to one of America's cultural icons--it took one from England. Congratulations to Living Era for tackling this worthwhile project.

This CD actually got me on a kick to find the same songs by Helen Kane on the original, 78 rpm, Victor records. So far, I have six of the eleven records that the CD booklet refers to.

Now, if only someone could extract some of the songs that Helen performed in the films she starred in. Several of those are not on the CD, but they may have been used exclusively in those films, and possibly never even appeared in record form.

Some of the other reviews of this CD are unduly critical, in my view. Unless you happen to have a heart of stone, listening to this collection of songs is bound to make you smile, even on your worst days.

Lighten up a little, or as Helen would say: "Don't Be Like That". FUN is the keyword here, 1920s boop-style!